News Release

Smokejumpers Contain Fires in Local Mountains

Two lightning-caused wildfires in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument were quickly suppressed by U.S. Forest Service smokejumpers this week. The fires started Monday evening, Aug. 4, in rugged terrain in the Santa Rosa Mountains just south of Coachella Valley.

"Smokejumpers were quickly dispatched from San Bernardino," said BLM Fire Management Officer Tim Dunfee. "In less than 50 minutes from the time of the initial fire report, they had landed in the vicinity of the fires." Three smokejumper crews then worked on the fires throughout the night and Tuesday until full containment was declared by the BLM. Named the Toro and Sawmill fires, both burned less than an acre each.

"Smokejumpers provide a fast, effective initial response for fires in rugged and remote areas," said Dunfee. The smokejumper crews had been temporarily relocated from their base in Redding to San Bernardino this week because of the elevated fire threats in the mountains of Southern California.